Jesus came into our world, which in reality is his world, to change both the minds and the ways of people. In his opening message, he announced the emphasis of his mission: “Repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). If we are to understand the mind and mission of Jesus, we must discover the meaning of this primary command, this initial invitation. To misunderstand at this point is to arrive at the wrong conclusion. It is very possible that the church has failed to be the dynamic force morally, socially, politically, and spiritually that our Lord intended it to be because of a colossal misunderstanding concerning repentance, which is the primary demand of the Christian faith. William Douglas Chamberlain contends that the church has not understood the words “Repent ye” in their profound, far-reaching, revolutionary significance. He declares that if the church is really to be the church, we must reexamine the New Testament and discover the revolutionary significance of this primary demand of our faith. Repentance is positive rather than negative. The call to repentance and faith is not primarily a threat. The demand for repentance is not a plea for remorseful thinking concerning sins and shortcomings committed in the past; instead, it is positive and forward looking and calls for an inward change of attitude that prepares one to participate in the wonderful work of God. While a godly sorrow for sin is involved, it is not primary.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 07:07:24 +0000
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